MLBPA boss: Union won't protect PED users

Any suspensions likely to be served in 2014, Weiner says

In light of looming suspensions for players involved with MLB's latest drug investigation, MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner told the New York Daily News that the Players' Association may not support those cases where overwhelming evidence exists.

While not naming specific players, Weiner told the paper that the union would attempt to forge a compromise for those players.

"I can tell you, if we have a case where there really is overwhelming evidence that a player committed a violation of the program, our fight is going to be that they make a deal," Weiner told the Daily News. "We're not interested in having players with overwhelming evidence that they violated the [drug] program out there. Most of the players aren't interested in that. We'd like to have a clean program."

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun are two of about 20 players being looked at for their dealings with Biogenesis, a closed Florida clinic linked to the distribution of performance-enhancing drugs.

Weiner told reporters Tuesday that any suspensions stemming from the investigation likely will be served in 2014, assuming the suspension heads to an arbitrator.

He also said the commissioner's office doesn't have to abide by the terms of the drug prevention and treatment program, because the players involved in this scandal didn't fail tests and are being investigated for "non-analytical" reasons.

"In theory, [the players] could be suspended for five games or 500 games, and we could then choose to challenge that," Weiner said Tuesday. "The commissioner's office is not bound by the scale we have in the basic agreement."

Comments

The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.